


Sassenach

by notarussian



Series: Through Time And Space [1]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: 18th Century, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Blood, F/F, F/M, Kara is a highlander, Lena is a 20th century nurse, Outlander AU, Slow Burn, Sort Of, War, kind of, maybe will be more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-01
Updated: 2020-02-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:35:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22514854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notarussian/pseuds/notarussian
Summary: People disappear all the time. Most are found, eventually. Disappearances, after all, have explanations.Usually.Strange, the things you remember. Like the moment she realized she’d never own a vase. And like she could hardly remember V-E Day. Lena sometimes wonder what would have happened if she brought that vase.But Lena did know this. Even now, after all pain and death and heartbreak that followed, she still would make the same choice.OrA Outlander Supercorp Au
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor
Series: Through Time And Space [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1622527
Comments: 10
Kudos: 62





	Sassenach

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!
> 
> Another idea that wouldn’t go away. Hope you enjoy and tell me later. 
> 
> I don’t know much about history aside from a quick browse so I took a lot of poetic license here. Please be with your suspension of disbelief on. 
> 
> All mistakes are mine and english is not my first language.

People disappear all the time. Young girls run away from home. Little children stray away from their parents and are never seen again. Housewives take the grocery money and a taxi to the train station. Most are found, eventually. Disappearances, after all, have explanations. Usually.

Strange, the things you remember. Single images and feelings that stay with you down through the years. Like the moment Lena would realize that she’d never owned a vase. That she never lived in a place long enough to justify such simple thing. And how at that moment, she wanted nothing so much in all the world as to have a vase of her very own.

It was a Tuesday afternoon, six months after the end of the war.

She had flashes of the ruins and improvised hospital settings. At that point, things were all mixup in her head: blood, screaming and cry for help. Lena was a nurse, serving in the front and she saw more horrors than most of the gentleman in London. She made so many amputations that she barely could differ one from another and extracted more bullets that she could count. It was all past, after all.

And somehow, in her mind, V-E Day – the end of the bloodiest and most terrible war in human history – grows fainter with each passing day. But Lena could still recall every detail of the day when she saw the life she wanted sitting in a widow. Lena sometimes wonder what would have happened if she’d bought that vase and made a home for it. Would that have changed things? Would Lena have been happy? Who can say?

Lena did know this. Even now, after all pain and death and heartbreak that followed, she still would make the same choice.

**They’re in Scotland for their second honeymoon**. Or that’s what Mike called it. A way to celebrate the end of the war years and begin their lives anew. But it was more than that. Lena thought that was a nice euphemism for them: a nice way to pretend that they haven’t been apart for five years and had to get to know each other again.

Mike was awaiting for a answer from a friend in Oxford, where he’d take a place in history department. It was also why they’re in Scotland, to talk to a reverend who was also a history admirer and had some information about Mike’s genealogy – his other undeniable passion.

He was smiling at her, sun making his eyes more blue than grey as he pointed the mountains. “You see there, Lena?” He slowed a bit. “The top there, that’s Cocknammon Rock. In the 17th and 18th centuries, you’d often found a British Army patrol up there lying in wait for Scouts rebels. A perfect position for a ambush”

And Lena didn’t mind it. After her parents died, she and Lex were raised by her father’s brother. Uncle Leonard was a archeologist and took his nephews to every excavation. She had some interest in the field, but it was more Lex thing. Lena was more prone to medicine and botany. And Scotland also offered some interest in the last.

The car made a stop in the house up in the hills. The reverend house was old and cozy, a space larger than Lena would imagine being the home of a loner religious man. But that soon was explained when a little boy came running to the living room, calling the Priest dad.

Reverend smiled warmly and patted the boy’s cheek. “That’s my nephew from my sister side, she and the husband died and I’m his last relative. And seems like the boy is... setting with me”

Lena had smiled to him and Mike before the two of them turned back to their historical search. She didn’t even had time to occupy herself before the housekeeper was pulling her aside to tell all about tea. Lena wasn’t really paying much attention to the woman, even though the cup was delicious. That day her mind was spacing a bit or else she wouldn’t had allowed the housekeeper read her fortune.

“The women in my family do this for generations” she told Lena in a barely there accent. “We still follow the traditions, in the right days of course”

Lena was just nodding along, trying to scape but, before she knew, the woman already had her tea grounds close to her eyes. She cleared her throat. “That’s unusual... can I see your hand m’darling?”

The younger bit the inside of her cheek. “Well, people often tell me that I’m a unusual woman” she tried, but Lena herself was becoming curious and then showed her hand to the woman.

“That’s odd. Most hands have some thing in common, but not yours” The elderly lady leaned forward, staring Lena’s palm without a trace of mockery. “Let’s see.. Here” she pointed her thumb. “Large thumb: you’re a strong minded, smart and not easy crossed” she smiled when Lena nodded. “Here is your mount of Venus. In a man, means that he likes lassies and in a woman... well, let’s just say that your husband isn’t likely to stray from your bed” the two of them chuckled, still politely. “Lifeline’s interrupted, all bits and pieces. And marriage line is divided, means two marriages. But most dived lines are broken, but yours... is forked”

Lena fell some strange twist and was about to speak when the door opened, Mike and Reverend coming in for more tea. They’re speaking of some interesting discovery in the archives, about a Duke of sorts. But Lena’s mind was some place else’s.

She went back to the hotel first and was fast in reading her botany books, anything to distract herself. She was absolutely immerse in that and didn’t saw the time pass or the storm come. The light went down and Lena had to put candles all over the room. That was the place that Mike found. He was more pale and shaky, but didn’t say nothing to her about it. Instead, they talked about the upcoming Samhain and witches dancing in stones. That night, they went to bed thinking about it and ready to see the dance in the morning.

Little did they know that would be the last night Lena would be sleeping with him.

The dance had been a almost magical experience. Twelve women of various ages spinning graciously without music and carrying lanterns until the sun rises. Both she and Mike had delightful smiles, hiding in the bushes and watching all in awe. When the dancers finished and leaved the rocks, Lena and Mike steeped close to look better. It were magnificent rocks, much like the Stonehenge but different somehow. It almost like it had some magical surroundings. And that even made their “stolen” kisses more special as well.

Later on, Lena found herself thinking about the stone circle and opened her botany book. “What you have there?” Mike was fixing his tie

She looked up, smiling and turning the book to him. “I was looking for that plant. I think it’s a plumeria, but I’m not sure”

He leaned against the chair with a conspiratorial smile. “Then why don’t you go there and take one?”

Lena turned fully to him. “I was considering it. Would you like to go?”

“Honey, I’d love” he put his coat. “But the reverend found a box full of registers. Bills of sale from the Daxamites”

“Sounds trilling”

“Are you laughing at me?” it was all mock offense.

But she was smiling. “I wouldn’t dream” Lena leaned more against the chair, watching as he gathered his briefcase. “Should I join for dinner?”

“Yes” he lowered enough for a peck. “Love you”

“Love you” she grabbed his tie, bringing him to another kiss. “Come here”

**The ride to** _Craigh Na Dun_ **was calm as was earlier**. Lena let the car on the side of the road and climbed the rest using the small trail. The stones were there, high and imposing in the morning sun. Lena quickly found the flowers, in the opposite end of the circle. She was already there, reaching for a scarf in her wrist to grab a sample. And then the winds blowed stronger, carrying smells and sounds. Lena pulled her shawl closer and rose, listening closely to a growing buzzing sound. It was coming from the higher stone, the one in the center. Lena stepped closer and closer, as the sound grew louder.She rose both hands and slowly approach until finally touched the stone. 

Lena would often sleep in the back of the car, specially after visiting Lex. They would spend the night in restaurants, drinking some good wine and laughing louder at each passing hour. It was often the energy spend and the wine that would drift Lena to rest. One of this nights, she had been in the back sit, sleeping, when the driver took a bridge too fast and she woke to her world spinning and to the sickening sensation of falling in high speed.

That’s as close as Lena can come to describing what she experienced. Even if it’s awfully short.

Lena opened her eyes to the same sunny day, in the same stone circle. She felt a little disoriented as she straightened and looked around. It was still the same place and it was most likely that she had a sudden malaise. _Yes_ , Lena told herself. _Must be it_.

Quickly, she made her way back using the same path. Lena should had noticed that something was wrong before, but that just occurred her when she was staring at where would be the road. It was just grass.

She turned in her heals, looking her surroundings and frowning. “What?”

Lena was certain that she had took the right path, but she still was disoriented. Maybe that was the reason why she didn’t go back. She just walked straight...

Straight to a dense wood and a battle field. Lena was making her way between leafs and twigs when a shot echoed. Automatically, she ducked and looked around. Lena saw three men using red coats and carrying musket. She blinked once and then twice, but the image didn’t change. Lena was certain that haven’t hit her head and that couldn’t be product of her imagination. She took a deep breath before starting to considerate. Her rational mind was facing the impossible, so naturally she grouped to logic.

There were another shot that put her in movement. _Perhaps I had stumbled onto a set?_ , she thought while running. And Lena should have been paying attention, because the next thing she know was a fall. She fell from a ravine and rolled through leaves and rocks. Lena was back to her feet in time to see other men in green and gray running, one of them turning and shouting in another language before shooting.

_Or there’s no logical reason_ , Lena thought while looking to the ravine. More men in red jacket appeared, aiming in the direction of the greenish ones before one of the Reds eyed Lena, shooting at her. She ducked in time and only leaves and dust were hurt. _It was real ammunition_ , she realized.

It was then that her flight instinct activated. Lena rolled before getting up and made her way through the trees, keeping one eye to muskets. She wasn’t as stealth as she thought. There were two soldiers in red running after her and Lena only advantage was that she was lighter than them. She gave some sharp turns, going more and more into the woods until she couldn’t listen to steps behind her. Lena slowed a bit, taking a deep breath and then started to run again, jumping a bush and skating to another ravine before turning around a tree, running into a stream and Lena stopped dead in her tracks.

There was a man kneel down by the water wearing a red jacket. Dark hair, blue grayish eyes and that jaw. She stared at him in confusion, if _he_ was there than would be some logical explanation.

She was still breathless. “Mike? What the devil are you doing?”

He rose slowly, bringing a sword with him. He eyed her up and down with a strange look that immediately had her alert. “You’re not Mike”

Both brows up, he gave her another strange look. “No, madam. I’m not”

Her legs moved, backing little steps. “Who the bloody hell are you?”

The man approached in two long strike. “I’m Michael Matthews Esquire, captain of His Majesty’s Daxamites” there was a pause when they only stared. “At your service”

Even though he had Mike’s face, something inside Lena was twisting and a red sign shined in her brain. She certainly wouldn’t wait. Sparing him other look, Lena took off running. She could hear him behind her and maybe Michael was as slow as the others soldiers, and Lena could use a tree to...

He drew his sword, tapping it against the rock and effectively trapping Lena between him and the rock. “Who are you?”

Lena’s hearth was beating faster than ever, she could barely hear anything else. The words came before she could think twice. “My husband is expecting me. He’ll come looking for me if I’m not back in ten minutes”

He had a loose grip onto the sword, eyes sparkling that made her nauseous. “Husband? What’s his name?”

Michael was waiting and didn’t give her a minute more before grabbing her by the shoulder and putting the sword against her neck as he demanded. “What’s his name?”

Lena hissed and he tight the grip, pulling her hair. “Mike!”

“Mike what?”

_I’m not afraid_ , Lena told herself. So she clenched her jaw and looked him dead in the eyes. “Mike Luthor. He’s a teacher”

Michael didn’t even blink. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Mike Luthor, a teacher’s wife” he leaned forward as does one telling a secret. “You must think me the fool. You’ll tell me exactly who you’re and why you’re here”

She tried to break free but it was useless and he only grew angrier, putting the sword closer to her neck and pressing. “‘Madam, you’ll find that I’m not so patient”

“Get off me, you bastard” and then Lena spat his face.

But Michael only leaned back a little, sticking his sword in the grass. “Speech of a lady. The language of a whore” he turned her shoulder, forcing her whole body to turn back to him. She tried to fight and screamed in pain as he pressed her against the rock. “I choose the whore” Lena heard her dress tearing and then a sound above, leafs and feet...

Someone threw Michael to the ground precisely knocking him out. The stranger then turned to Lena, offering a hand and shouting in other language. “Druid!”

She frowned. “What?”

But she didn’t had an answer. “Druid!” the stranger waved.

Against better judgment, Lena let the stranger pull her by the wrist away from the rock and Michael’s unconscious body. “Who are you? Where are we going? Where are we..”

The stranger pushed Lena aside and behind a tree as more man in red jackets appeared, shouting to someone running. And Lena was still in full panic mode as she tried to scream for help. But the stranger put a hand in her mouth. Lena only had a second to notice how the hand was smaller than she was expecting before the world disappeared in black.

_Please, be a dream._

But it wasn’t. Lena knew that. If nothing else, her unlikely savior leaked smells that even her fertile imagination couldn’t conceive. 

She blinked to the growing darkness, absorbing her surroundings. A hut in the middle of nowhere. Lena could see smoke coming from a chimney and voices from the other side of the door. Her savior helped her get off the horse and pushed Lena into a dark and crowded shelter. The people in there were wearing the same greenish clothes that she had seen before – kilts, Lena recognized. It had some different pattens, but was mostly green and brown. There were some men seizing her up, but there were women too.

_Some of the Scouts had warrior who were women in their clans_ , Mike had told her once as he pointed a letter from his ancestor Captain Matthews to the Duke. _Ferocious fighters, like reborn amazons_.

It was then Lena realized two things.

One: the man who attacked her in the woods was Mike’s ancestor, the famous English captain who persecuted Highlanders in 18th century and was mostly called by a infamous nickname – Mon-El.

And the person who saved her and most likely had made her a prisoner was a woman. Lena watched that in awe as the woman took her beanie off and stepped close to the fire. She had auburn hair, pale skin and deep brown eyes. Her features were sharp and in the right light Lena could see some softness in her. The woman’s kilt had a bit of blue and silver in her greenish and she was answering the others questions in a rapid and melodic idiom. _Gaelic_ , Lena supposed.

Lena heard her say something about _Craigh Na Dun_ and one man at the opposite side answer, standing up. He was tall and blonde with blue eyes and hard features. He took Lena’s arm but was more gentle than she presumed. “Let’s have a look at you, lass”

He pushed her close to the fire and gave her a proper look, as one searching something. Like she was a horse to buy. “I trust you’re able to see me now?”

The jab did little to him. “What’s your name?”

At that point, Lena had already decide to stick to her maiden name. She wasn’t letting them come closer to Mike. “Lena. Lena Luthor”

He nodded and slowly repeated her name. “Lena Luthor”

The man didn’t had time to say anything more. “That’s right. Now just tell me what the hell do you think...”

But was turning to the auburn woman, ignoring Lena’s question. “You said you found her?”

Auburn hair took a sip from a flask. “Aye. She was _havin’_ a word with a certain _Daxamite_ Captain with whom we’re acquainted” She turned to look at Lena. “There seemed to be some question as to wether the lady was or was not a whore”

Blonde raised a brow, asking in a deep voice. “And what was the lady’s position in this discussion?”

Lena was tempted to spat him in the face. “I’m not”

One of the men by the fire had a disgusting smile. “We could put her to the test”

A short blonde woman glared the man coldly before turning her attention to Blonde who spoke up again looking at the pig man. “I don’t hold with rape” and turned to Lena. “And we’ve not the time for discussions, anyway”

Auburn Hair turned to Blonde, but kept a eye on Lena. “Oliver, I’ve no idea what she might be or who, but I’ll stake my best shot she’s not a whore”

Lena looked away from her, turning her eyes to the fire. But she could feel Oliver eyes studying her as he nodded with a frown. “That discussion is not over yet. We’ve got a good distance to go tonight” he backed out, going back to his initial corner to speak to the ones by the fire. “And we must do something about Kara first”

All that was in Lena’s mind was escape. She had already made plans, seizing her chances to take off and steal one horse. Maybe it was hours to the city that she certainly couldn’t walk or they could catch her. But she had no idea of where she was and find a way back to Inverness in the dark was a fool’s errand.

Auburn Hair and Oliver had gathered in the opposite side, leaning towards someone that Lena couldn’t quite see. Oliver leaned back. “Out o’ joint, poor bugger. You can ride like that, can you?”

Then came a voice. A strong and sweet one with a musical accent. “Hurts bad enough sitting steal. I _couldna_ manage a horse”

Oliver stood up, pointing at the owner of the beautiful voice. “I don’t mean to be leaving anyone behind and certainly not her”

A young man with hints of gray in his hair stepped in. “There’s no help for it, then. Let Alex and I force the joint back”

Auburn Hair nodded along with concerned face and Lena presumed that she was Alex.

In that moment, the wise corse of action would have been keep her head down, her mouth shut, and wait for the search parties Mike had called out by now. Of course, she didn’t do that. Lena watched as the gray man call another two and Alex stepped aside to reveal a young blonde woman drinking from a flask. Alex hold her as Gray and the other two stepped in to...

She wasn’t exactly good at siting and waiting.

“Don’t you dare!” Lena closed the distance as all the people in the room drew their blades and pointed to her. Gray stood in her way with a knife. “Stand aside at once. You’ll break her arm if you do it like that”

But he didn’t even move. She turned to Oliver who uncrossed his arms and watched her with close attention. “You have to get the bone of the upper arm in the correct position before it slips back into joint”

She expected protests or something. Surprisingly, Oliver stepped aside and let Lena come closer to the young woman. Lena cautiously approached her, lowering herself to touch her arm. The girl let out a heavy breath, as one trying not to scream in pain. She clenched her jaw, staring at Lena with wide eyes. “Hold her steady” Lena told Alex and Gray before making eye contact with the blonde who nodded. Lena precisely moved her arm, carefully adjusting the angle as the girl hissed. “This’s the worst part” and the blonde just nodded, pressing her lips together as Lena secured her arm and put the joint back. The girl gasped first in pain and then in relive.

She spoke something in Gaelic while looking at Lena and then. “It doesn’t hurt anymore”

But Lena already knew that. She eyed the girl’s muscle arm, looking for any more injuries that she could solve. “It will. It’ll be tender for about a week. You’ll need a sling” she turned around searching for materials and spotted Gray. “You, fetch me a long piece of cloth or a belt”

He only raised a ironic brow, making as show of mocking hands to her. “Fetch me, she said. Do _ye_ hear me, lads?” he eyed his crown while a equal ironic smile.

Not all of them enjoyed it. Oliver give the man a glare. “Give her _yer_ belt, Snart”

The tense nod that succeeded it made Snart move to give her his belt. But that didn’t seamed to faze the blonde who just eyed Lena curiously. “I’m taking a guess you’ve done it before”

Lena turned to her. “I’m a nurse”

Her eyes went immediately to Lena’s cleavage and reminded Luthor about her poor state of clothing. “Not a wet nurse” she scolded while tightening the belt. “Don’t move the joint for two or tree days. And go very slowly when you start to use it again. Stop at once if it hurts, and use warm compresses on it daily” Lena stepped back to get a better look as she nodded. “All right, how does that feel?”

She eyed her arm, smirked and looked to Lena through her eyelashes. “Better. Thank _ye_ ”

Taking a breath, Lena recognized her gratitude with a nod and didn’t notice Oliver watching them like a hawk. He moved away, but still talking to injured blonde. “Can you ride?”

Strangely, her eyes were still staring Lena as she answered. “Aye”

Oliver collected something and marched to the door, making the troop move. “Good. We’re leaving” and tossed a bag to her, before storming out.

As the men and two other women started to made their way out, the blonde stood up and made Lena look up for the first time. There were this split second when they just stood, lightened by the fire and watching each other. Her blue eyes sparkled in the dim light and her features were long and solemn like a angels portrait. And then the moment was gone and she urged Lena to follow the others.

**It was dark and cold outside.**

At some point the rain had come and Lena wasn’t really surprised – it still was Scotland after all. But the strangeness didn’t pass as Lena looked ahead and didn’t find familiar lights in the dark. “Where is it? Where’s the city? ‘Should be visible from here”

The blonde stared her with a crinkled brow. “Inverness? You’re looking straight at it” she nodded to dark and fog ahead before walking to her horse and leaving Lena with her growing numbers of questions.

_No electric lights_ , she thought while staring the empty. That made shiver run her spine, one that wasn’t product of cold and rain. As much as her mind rebelled against the idea, Lena knew in her heart that she was no longer in the 20th century.

And as Lena slowly processed her thoughts, Oliver came from nowhere and grabbed her arm and pulled her in movement. “Get yourself up. You be sure to stay close to the rest of us” he made her stop close to one of the riders. “And should _ye_ try _anythin’_ , I shall slit your throat for you. Do you understand me?” but he didn’t gave her time to answer, pushing her to the horse and lowering him self. “Give me your foot”

A warm and calloused hand took Lena’s and she then noticed who would be her companion, the blonde injured girl. She was gentle enough to try and make space to Lena and waited for her to adjust until taking the reins in her good hand. The girl even tried to give her a sympathetic look, but Lena was far to angry to acknowledge it.

Lena stayed still and alert, listening them speak in Gaelic while preparing their horses and weapons. It had a strange familiar feeling to that, as she remembered all soldiers that Lena had watched do the same while treating their companions. She was pulled from her thoughts by the girl moving around. “Careful! What are you trying to do?”

She looked a bit startled by it and was quick to recover. “I’ll get my plaid loose to cover _ye_. You’re shivering”

Like she needed to be reminded about her clothes and the weather. “Thank you, miss, but I’m fine. Really”

She clicked her tongue, her breath touching Lena’s ear. “You’re shaking so hard, it’s making my teeth rattle” there was this spark of humor that in any other time Lena would appreciate. “As we’re sharing my plaid you should call me Kara” and she continued to reach for the cloth. “It’ll keep us warm, but I can’t do it one-handed. Can _ye_ reach?”

Lena took the cloth, adjusting it to cover both of them and turned to do it on the other side. Kara hissed when that made her move her injured shoulder, but she quickly cleared her throat to cover that. The tartan was just like the others and was welcoming warm, just like Kara’s body behind her. Kara said something in Gaelic under her breath and loudly said. “We don’t want you to freeze before sun-up”

That had Lena slowly turning to her as the rain engrossed. “You mean we’ll be riding all night?”

Kara nodded, looking up to the sky. “All night and the next one too. Fine time of year for a ride, thought” she trailed off.

Horse trot preceded Oliver’s approach. “Druid” he said both in a greeting and a treat.

All the others riders were coming behind him, organized in line to follow a narrow path. And soon they joined them, riding though the night like a heroes league in a bard song.

True to her word, they did ride all night. Lena was awake and alert in the first half, narrowing her eyes to the dark and trying to get a glimpse to scape. That did not come and all that rest was watch the Scots guild themselves with absolutely nothing but their wit. Lena really tried to keep her eyes open, but the day was catching up with her. She might not admit but it was warm and Kara’s Gaelic that lured her to sleep.

It wasn’t a proper rest. In the back of her mind, she still knew what was happening and was conscious enough to not fall off the horse – much like keeping one eye open all the time. And Lena still felt like shit. It was already day when her conscience fully returned and she frowned to the light, still looking for ways out even as landscapes were all becoming one in her mind. She looked up, to mountain’s top appearing between trees and...

_You see there, Lena?_

“I know this place”

Kara tilted her head in polite interest. “Been though here before, have _ye_?”

Her ears heard but her mind was someplace else as she answered a distracted “Yes”.

_In the 17th and 18th centuries, you’d often found a British Army patrol up there_

That was Mike’s voice, a day or so in the past. Well, _her_ past.

Her brain was quickly putting things together. “I recognize that rock. The one that looks like a cock’s tail. It has a name”

Kara nodded along and proceed to make a throat sound, telling her the name in Gaelic before reaching for a translation. “Cocknammon Rock”

It couldn’t be coincidence and her heart was already racing. “The English, they used it for ambushes! They could be lying in wait right now”

The Scottish was listening with full attention and turned her head to look around, checking the place with a trained eye. “It’s a bonnie place for a ambush, right enough. Oliver!” Kara pushed her horse to break the line and reach her leader.

Kara leaned to Oliver, speaking fast in Gaelic but still low enough to not startle anyone. Oliver answered with a suspicious glare at Lena but Kara didn’t hesitate, glancing her briskly before assuring him – or that was what Lena presumed.

Oliver continued his suspicious glare and leaned to speak in low voice. “Now, you’ll tell me exactly how and why you come to know there’s a ambush up ahead”

He still was trying to intimidate her, but Lena only lifted her chin. “I don’t know, but I heard the redcoats use Cocknammon...”

“Where did you hear?”

Lena had to think fast as both Oliver and Kara were watching her. “In the village”

Oliver had sourpuss face and tried another hard look before turning his eyes to the surroundings and Lena could almost see gears turning in his mind. He raised a fist, making a circle move and raising his voice in command.

All the raiders started to move, leaving the road and... Lena didn’t see much as Kara freed her injured arm and pushed in a bush. “Hide yourself!” she shouted before galloping with the others.

Lena stayed low for a second, watching them took a opposite road and find redcoats hidden in trees and bushes. They tried to shoot but the Scots were really close and the first were soon dead. And Lena didn’t wait anymore. She rolled off the ground and blindly ran into the woods.

Without stopping for a breath, she turned around a rock and the noises started to subside as Lena approached a lake and took a route to get around it, going up a hill and using branches to made her way more easy. When Lena finally made her way to the top, a horse arrived.

It was Kara. “Lost your way?”

And Lena stopped in her tracks, absorbing the image of the blonde covered in blood and dismounting with a sword in hand. Her hair was damp and came to a end no much below her shoulders, different from the others women in her group. She told something to her horse before approaching Lena.

Luthor stepped aside, trying to find a scape. “Hope you haven’t misused that shoulder” and then she used her chin to point the blood in her shirt. “You’re hurt”

Kara only came closer, eyed locked in Lena’s. “This lot isn’t mine. Not much of it anyways”

And Lena wasn’t waiting anymore. She tried to made her way to the left, but Kara was quick enough to block her away even though not presenting a real treat. “Oliver and the others will be waiting further up the steam. We should go”

She was so done with all that. Lena tried to pass her again, but Kara stayed firm in her ground. “I’m not going with you!” she shouted

At some point both of them had stepped close and now they were at a arm length. Kara had this serious demeanor and in trees shadows, with blood all over her face, she looked intimidating. “Yes, you are” she pointed her sword to the brunette.

But Lena didn’t step back, didn’t even bow her head to her. Even though Kara was a warrior and had just killed some redcoats, Lena Luthor was still a force to be reckon. “What? Are you going to cut my throat if I don’t go?”

And maybe she didn’t count to find such stubborn being. Kara stepped close, still pouting her sword and staring right through Lena’s eyes. “Why no?” and then she surprised Lena, breathing out and lowering her weapon before reaching a hand in Lena’s direction, as if trying to approach a wild beast. “But..” another step. “You don’t look that heavy...”

Lena looked over her shoulder and then aside. She could maybe turn around there and jump to the steam without breaking more than three bones. She could have that advantage over Kara and ran back to _Craigh Na Dun_ , back to Mike. Maybe...

Kara knew exactly where she intended to scape and blocked that path too with her sword. She searched for Lena’s eyes as she continued to talk. “Now if _ye_ won’t walk” she raised her hand with more speed than Lena was capable to catch-up and took her arm in her calloused right hand. She’s left handed, Lena observed and was pulled from her thoughts of kicking Kara’s support leg. “I shall pick you up and throw over my shoulder. Do _ye_ want me to do that?”

An arm length distance disappeared and now she was staring right at Kara’s cerulean eyes. Close enough to count her eyelashes and see a little scar between her brow. Close enough to look her strong set of bones and slightly large Roman nose. Close enough to see through the blood and right to her tan skin, to the honesty in every word.

Lena worked her jaw and fought her grip. “No!”

Her face softened a bit, showing a side smirk that Lena wanted to slap out her face. “Well, then, I suppose that means you’re coming with me”

Kara relished her, pushing Lena in her horse’s direction.

**The ride back was made in almost complete silence.**

Kara guided her horse through a difficult path before making a sharp turn and arriving a more used and secure path. She then prompted to a lope and kept her arms in place, like a human cage surrounding Lena.

Half of hour passed and the lope was slowing. Kara hissed before collecting her injured shoulder below her plaid. “Serves you right. Probably torn a muscle as well as bruising”

Breathless and hurting, Kara still wasn’t giving in. “Well, it wasn’t much of a choice. If I’d not moved my shoulder, I’d never have moved anything else ever again”

Any retort died in her throat as Lena raised her eyes and found the rest of the league waiting and watching them approach. Even if she didn’t say anything, Kara continued and raised her voice so her companions could hear too. “I can handle a single redcoat with one hand, maybe even two. But not three” she then leaned forward, speaking into Lena’s ear. “Besides, _ye_ can fix it for me again when we get to where we’re going”

Pulling a face, Lena tried move and put some distance between them in the barely enough space that there was in the cell. “That’s what you think”

A bald man with hard features that rode along side Snart rose a flask in her direction. “You have. Here’s to you, lass” he approached them. “For tipping us to the villains in the rocks and giving us a wee bit o’ fun!” the man took a sip as all his companions proceeded to raise their voices in ‘slangevar’

He stretched his flask to Kara with a murderous glee in his eyes. “ _Tapadh leat_ , Mick” she took a large sip and then offered to Lena with a grin. She eyed the flask and turned her head away slightly. “Take a wee nip” Kara told her in a low voice. “It _willna_ full your belly, but it will make _ye_ forget you’re hungry”

_She have a point_ , Lena silently admitted and looked at the flask before making her decision. Lena took a sip and wasn’t too surprised to find it was whiskey. Kara was right, it did made her forget her hungry but not her situation.

As they returned to the line, she still tried to absorb her surroundings and work in a scape plan. Lena tried to list all pro and cons as they advanced into the woods, following a path that she could hardly see. As the day became night, Lena was even more certain that she wouldn’t be able find her way back though that means.

Against all her expectations, she didn’t sleep. Her body seamed more awake and alert than ever. That maybe had saved Kara’s life. Lena felt a height change and then Kara was falling, too heavy and too fast to her to catch her. “Stop!” Lena shouted to them. “Help! She’s going over!”

But she still fell and Lena was off the horse right after. The others stopped, some more slow to dismount. “Help me get her up!” she commanded who first reached them. Maybe Oliver, Alex and Snart, she didn’t saw well in the dark. “Come on!”

Together, they raised Kara and moved her to the side of the road and lowered her body with equal caution. Lena was acting more fast than any of them could keep up. She checked if the girl was breathing and her pulse before opening the belt in her chest and pushing her shirt aside. She found bleeding. “Gunshot wound. The idiot could’ve said something. It’s a clean exit” Lena was talking in her clinical voice aloud, but not exactly to them. “I think the round’s gone straight through the muscle. I don’t think it’s serious but she lost a lot of blood. It’ll need be disinfected before I can dress it properly”

Right beside her, Alex spoke in a slow and confused voice. “Disinfect?”

Turning to her, Lena let out a breath. “Yes, it must be cleaned of dirt to protect it from germs”

Somewhere behind her, Mick echoed. “Germs?”

Stressed and worried, Lena turned to them. “Just get me some iodine”

There’s no action. They all just stared at her. “Merthiolate?”

Confusion crossed their faces as Snart turned to Mick and Oliver for answers. Behind them, the blonde short woman leaned in her horse to get a better look and seamed just as confused as the rest. Almost giving in, Lena signed. “Alcohol?”

In perfect synchronism, they made sounds of agreement and the blonde woman reached a flask in her belt. “Here you go”

Lena took the whiskey and turned to Kara, still listening to Alex thanks the woman who was named Sara. Lena opened the flask and dropped a bit in the wound. Immediately, Kara hissed and raised her head while talking in Gaelic.

Closing the flask, Lena gave her a glare. “Welcome back”

Without even taking a breath, Kara tried to stand. “I’m all right, just a wee bit dizzy”

Pushing her back, Lena searched for her eyes. “You’re not all right” and she was raising her voice without even noticing. “Didn’t you tell how badly you were bleeding?” Lena leaned forward, starting to work at her wound. “You’re lucky you’re not dead, bawling and fighting and throwing yourself off horses”

Even though Lena was scolding her, Kara just stared at her with red cheeks and soft eyes. Or that was what Lena could make in the dark. Looking over her shoulder, she told them. “All right, I need a sterile bandage and some clean cloth”

And none of them moved a finger, looking like statues looking at her. Lena was in complete disbelief. “Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ” and then she tore her dress before them.

Alex watched her stretch a hand to Sara to drown the cloth in whiskey. “Hold still” she told Kara before pressing the cloth to the wound. “Easy. Lift her up” Alex did as she told, helping Kara up but the blonde was making that slow while hissing and Lena had close to none patience left. “Come on, you goddam bloody bastard”

Behind them there was a gasp and then Oliver’s voice. “I’ve never heard a lady use suchlanguage in my life”

There was agreement and Snart voice. “Your husband should tan your hide for _ye,_ madam”

Another voice, maybe one of the unnamed and older man. “St. Paul says, ‘let a woman be silent and...”

Lena turned to look at them. “You can mind your own bloody business and so can St. Paul!”

That had all of them quiet and let Lena do her job with no more than sourpuss faces directed at her. She looked to Kara. “And if you move so much as a single muscle while I’m tying this bandage, I’ll bloody throttle you”

But that didn’t faze Kara as she just raised her eyes to her companions. “Treats, is it? And after I share my drink with _ye_ ”

No one else was sharing her humor, specially Oliver who spoke in low voice. “We have 15 miles to go yet. Five hours, at least, if not seven. We’ll stay long enough for _ye_ to stem the bleeding and dress her wound. No more than that” he took off without other word.

The others were already taking their horses of the road, following Oliver’s orders without a second thought. Lena wasn’t one of them. She finished her knot and stood, marching to Oliver with determination. “She needs rest!” when Oliver didn’t answered, she raised her voice. “Did you hear me?”

A groan and then Kara was talking behind her. “Matthews...”

Lena stopped her march and abruptly turned to her, her heart becoming fast. Kara took a breath, fighting her pain and finding Lena’s eyes. “The officer _ye_ encountered, he won’t give up so easily”

In her quest to move, Kara had messed the knot and made Lena to sit beside her to correct that and listen. “He commands the redcoats - _Daxamites_ as he calls his unit - hereabouts and he’s sent patrols out in every direction by now. We _canna_ stay here long”

Lena continued to work, eyeing Kara here and then. “You know Matthews? Mon-El Matthews, that is?”

Kara lowered her head and then turned to look at Lena. “Aye. I won’t risk you or anyone else being taken prisoner by that man. If _ye_ can’t fix me enough to ride, you’ll leaving me here with a loaded pistol so I may determine my own fate”

_It’s a brave move_ , Lena thought. _As well as dramatic._

But Lena couldn’t really blame her. How many people could have their destiny in their own hands? How many would prefer that?

She eyed Kara’s profile for a moment before returning to her task. “You might’ve well told me you were shot before you fell of the horse”

Chuckling, she locked eyes with Lena. “Didn’t hurt much at the time”

And Lena maybe made some hard knots. “Does it hurt now?”

Having the courage to look at the bandage and then to Lena, Kara answered. “Aye”

Without giving in, Lena raised one brow. “Good” and patted her back as Kara chuckled again. “That’s about all I can do. The rest is up to you”

Lena rose to her feet, feeling the cold touch her knees and shoulders. The horses had been taken off the road and all that was left was the two of them and the dark. She certainly couldn’t scape in that conditions. Lena breath in and offered a hand to the blonde.

For the first time Kara looked up, though her eyelashes, to Lena’s hand. She looked like a saint, a martyr all bruised and covered in blood. She didn’t seamed like the warrior from earlier who treated to throw Lena over her shoulder. In the moonlight with damp hair and soft look, Kara was just a girl. One that had profound eyes, like someone who had endured more than common people and, somehow, that made her more.

Kara accepted the hand and rose to her feet. She still had that soft look when looked down at Lena. “Thank you, Sassenach. Truly”

She knew that one. It was Gaelic to ‘outlander’, but with english people in their Highlands that had soon started to mean simply ‘english’.

Deep in her gut, Lena knew that something was happening and that was a moment to pay attention. But she choose to ignore, because she couldn’t let herself wonder. Lena had a goal, so she just averted her eyes before speaking again. “All right, on your horse, soldier”

Kara nodded and walked to her horse.

Lena waited for a moment before following her.

**Six hours. Oliver was right.**

It was already day when they abandoned the woods and a shiver ran down her spine. Their final destination was no other than _Castle Leoch_.

Lena knew that place. She had been there with Mike two days ago. Well, would be. Lena could almost picture herself by the grass, looking closely to a plant growing in the frame of a old tractor. A memory of a day in the future that was now past. Lena could easily see the paradox there.

With a strange feeling in her gut – of seeing the castle alive or seeing things that should be impossible – Lena started her inventory. So far, she had been assaulted, threatened, kidnapped and nearly rapped. And somehow, Lena knew that her journey had only begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Slangevar - cheers;  
> Tapadh leat - thank you;
> 
> Tumblr - notyourussiekiller


End file.
